The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-08-03
THE PLANETS INAucusr.
Venus Most Glorious, Jupiter Bril-
liant and Mercury Bright In the
Morning.

her most glorious aspect as evening star
On the 10Th, at noon day, she appears In he
greatest brilliancy, being then about 4Oo cas-
Of the sun, and her diameter measuring 40
When she became evening star last Decem
Der her whole Illuminated disk (like the ful
noon was turned towards the earth, and
being at her greatest distance from us, he
diameter was only 10'' She has ever sine,
been travelling towards us, and increasing il
size and brillianey. At the same time sht
has been turning less and less Of her illu
minated disk toward us, passing through the
phases Of the moon from full to new. Unit
the 10th the increasing size Of the planets
disc has more than eounter-balanced the
lessening portion, which1s Illuminated, and
as every observer must have noticed, the fair
evening star has grown more brilliantly
beautiful. After the 10Th the Illuminated
crescent rapidly dimInishes until it becomes
exceedingly thin. The Increasing size nc
longer cOunter-balances the lessening light
and the planet perceptibly wanes In bril-.
llaney. There are two OF these periods 0i
greatest brilliancy, as they are called. The
one, like the. present. occurring 50 days be-
fore inferior conjunction, when Venus Is
evening star, and the other occurring sc
days after inferior conjunction, when Venus
Is morning star.
Our planetary neighbor will be a charming
object for celestial study during the whole
month OF August, increasing in splendOr un-
til the 18th, and approaching the sun from
the months commencement to its close. The
proof OF her increasing brilliancy will be
perceptible to the eye Of the careful observ-
er, and the proof that she is drawing nearer
to the sun will be found in the lessening
length of her stay above the horizon after
sunset. Thus on the 1st she sets an hour
and half after the sun. On the 31st she
sets about half an hour after the sun.
The right ascension Of Venus on the 1st Is
l1h. % M; her declinatiOn is 10 IL north (;
her diameter 81 2, and she is in the eonstel-
lati0n Leo.
Venus sets ON the 1st at a quarter before 0
O'Clock In the evening; on the 31st she sets
at quarter before O'Clock.
Jupiter Is evening star. He shares with
Venus in the planetary honOrs Of the August
early evenings, setting on the 1st an hour
and half later than his more brilliant ri
val, while at the close of the month Venus
sinks below the western hills an hour and
three-quarters before Jupiter makes his exit.
The princely planet is still near his fair at
tendant Spica, as has been the case through
the spring and summer. The distance be-
tween planet and star Is perceptibly increas-
ing, for Jupiter will travel eastward or in
direct motion for the rest Of the year. At
the end OF the month the distance between
them Is 10, and observers will before long
cease to remember the chance companion
ship between the wanderer among the stars
and one Of the great suns OF space. Jupiter
Is now passing from quadrature to eonjunc-
Ing the sun. Even when at the greatest dis
tance from us, there Is little diminution In
his brightness, and as long as he Is above the
nightly horizon he is beautiful TO behold.
The right ascension of Jupiter on the LIST
Is 13h. 46 m. his declinatiOn is 81 AZ south
fa for 10 nd hssf Il In.
lation Virgo.
Jupiter sets on the 1st at quarter after
y. o'clock in the evening" on the 31st he sets
about half--pa s O'Clock.
UranSsjs evening star. He is so far from
the earth thai ifee- has ceased to be visible to
the most sharp-sight led observer who seeks
to find him with the unaided eye. He is pur-
suing his slow course eassVar1. advancing
little from the position he held am,nng July,
being now about q southeast Of Gemma "
ginis.
The right ascension Of Uranus on tho 1st is
12h. 35m. his declination is 30 4 south: his
diameter Is 8 $, and he Is in the constella-
tion Virgo.
Uranus sets on the 1st about half-past
O'Clock in the evening; on the 3lst he sets
about half-past o'clock.
Mercury is morning star throughout the
month, and adds Diore incidents to its annals
than any other planet. On the 10th, at /
O'Clock in the afternoon, he reaches his
greatest western elongatiOn, being then ISo
3S west OF the sun. The conditions are ia
yorable for naked-eye view of our interest
ing brother planet, II the observer is willing
to be on hand early enough to behold the
On the 10th Mercury rises an
hour and half before the sun. IL the morn
ing be exceptionally clear he will be found in
the east, about A. north Of the sunrise point,
rising at half-past o'clock. A sight OF him
is worth all the trouble 1t costs, as anyone
will bear witness who succeeds in finding
him. He will be visible for several DAYS be-
fore and after his elongation.
On the 2Sth, at MONDAY, Mercury travel
ling eastward towards the sun. encounters
Mars travelling westward from the sun
They are In conjunction, Mercury being at
the time 40 south Of Mars. We shall miss
the opportunity of seeing the meeting be-
tween the two smallest members of the suns
Iamily, for both actors in the scene are in
visible
On the 3lst at O'Clock in the morning,
Mercury takes his turn In making near ap-
proach to Regnlus or Alpha Leonls. lie Is
II - north Of the star at the time Of cOniun-
ction. This Is an event to be seen in the
mind s eye, for planet and star are invisible
when the event occurs.
The right ascension Of Mercury on the 1st
Is Sh. 16m. his declinatiOn 15o 10 north. his
diameter Is 10 g, and he Is in the constella-
ton Cancer.
Mercury rises on the lst at 21 minutes af-
.
rises 20 minutes after 4 o'clock.
Saturn Is morning star. He Is fast emer-
ging from the solar rays, and at the close of
the month rises more than three hours be-
fore the sum-. His position in the heavens
differs little from that of last year excepting
that he has advanced little farther east
lie may befound among the stars OF Cancer,
southeast OF Castor and P0llux, and north
east Of Procyon.
The right ascension Of Saturn on the LIST is
sh. his declination Is 20o as; /; his diameter
IS Is g, and he Is in the constellation Cam
,er.
Saturn rises on the LIST at quarter before
O'Clock in the morning; on the 3Ist he rises
1t 2 o'clock.
Neptune is morning star. He arrives at
luadrature on the suns western side, on the
Sd, o'clock In the morning, reaching
he goal in advance Of the other giant plan
ITS.
The right ascension of Neptune on the LIST
5 3h. 52m. his declination Is lso 2S north, his
ilameter %, and he Is In the constellation
Taurus.
Neptune rises on the 1st at quarter before
2 O'Clock in the evening, on the 31st, he rises
It quarter before 10 o'clock.
Mars Is morning star, but Is so small In
ize and lustre as to be of little account
AT the close OF the month. Venus, Jupiter |
md Uranus are evening stars, Saturn, Mer- |
ury, Mars and Neptune are morning stars. /
The right ascension OF Mars on the 1st Is
~ 5om. MS decllnatlOn Is 23' 81 north, his /
liameter IS 2, and he is In the constella-
ion Gemini.
Mars rises on the 1st about half-past
'clock in the mornings on the 3lst, he rises /
minutes after o'clock.
According to her invariable custom, the |
arth will, on the 10th, plunge headlOng into |
he August meteor-zone. The meteors, in |
iamed by conclusion with the eaTth's at |
nosphere, descend in the form of fiery rain |
u ialling stars. On the nights OF the 10th, |
1th and 18th the careful observer will be |
nre to see large number Of them, radia. |
ing from the constellation PerSeus, and |
lence called Perseids. IL is well 10 keep |
lose watch for these curious eosmical atoms, |
or there may be an unusual display at the |
most unexpected moment. There Is always |
delghtful uncertainty about comets and |
neteors as well as close resemblance be-
ween them.
SENATOR ShERMAN'S OPINION.
Letter Speakiu0 Of AIa High Re-